Derrick Rose Injury Update: Chicago Bulls All-Star Not Thinking About Possible NBA Return This Season

By Paul John Rivera| Feb 14, 2014

Chicago Bulls fans are still hoping that Derrick Rose will return at some point, but the All-Star point guard said that he is not thinking about a possible comeback this season.

In an interview during a Bulls charity event on Thursday, Rose said that he has yet to set a possible timetable for his return, and that he wants to take his recovery one step at a time, revealing that he has yet to run since undergoing surgery in November.

"I haven't even had a chance to think about it, to tell you the truth," Rose told reporters when asked about a possible return, ESPN reported. "I'm just worrying about my next stage in this process and that's running right now."

Rose, who sustained a torn medial meniscus in his right knee 10 games off a long layoff due to a left ACL injury, previously said that he could consider returning if the Bulls make the playoffs this season.

But the 25-year-old clarified that he has no expectation of when he'll return at this point, saying that he is focused on his rehab. Rose added that he will start thinking about what he intends to do later in the season when his doctors allow him to run again.

"I'm not keeping it open," Rose said. "I just said that right now I haven't thought about it. I can't think about it right now when I'm not running yet."

Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, who recently said that he is not expecting Rose to practice again with the team before the end of the regular season, remains confident that Rose's positive attitude will make him a stronger player in the long run.

"I think one of his great strengths is his attitude," Thibodeau said of Rose. "In the end, this is going to make him even stronger mentally. And that's probably the biggest thing. I saw the way he responded with the ACL. He has an even greater determination now. And I think that's going to serve him well."

Rose, who missed the entire 2012-13 NBA season, averaged 15.9 points to go along with 4.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds in 10 games this season.

Related Stories